Coaches Return With College Knowledge
By
Tom Markowski
Special for Second Half
February 24, 2016
North Farmington boys basketball coach Todd Negoshian is not so vain to believe he’s at the top of his profession.
After all, he’s nearing just his fifth season running what is considered one of the top programs in the Oakland Activities Association.
What Negoshian is certain of is that he is a better coach now than he was during the early 2000s when he entered the profession as an assistant at North Farmington under his father, Tom Negoshian.
In addition to Todd Negoshian’s years as a high school coach, he spent three seasons (2004-07) as an assistant coach at Oakland University under coach Greg Kampe. Having worked at the college level has not only added to his knowledge as a coach but also given him an opportunity to work with different people under different circumstances but with similar goals.
“I learned a lot from Kampe,” Negoshian said. “I learned a lot about relationships. He has the uncanny ability to (scold) a kid and then 30 seconds later have your arms around him. It’s about building relationships.
“It’s his approach to coaching. There’s so many things you learned outside of coaching.”
This brief stint at the collegiate level gave Negoshian, 35, a whole new perspective on how to coach and how to be a coach. Building relationships takes time, and to those committed to being a coach who cares about his or her players, it’s paramount to allow for that time.
Some coaches, like John Beilein at University of Michigan, start out coaching at the high school level, move on to college and remain there. A number of others statewide have taken paths similar to that of Negoshian.
LaMonta Stone at River Rouge and Steve Hall at Detroit Cass Tech started coaching at the high school level and have recently returned to their roots after each spent several years as a college coach.
Stone played for the legendary Lofton Greene at River Rouge and then coached the Panthers to a Class B title in 1999. Stone ambitiously sought a position at the next level and was quite successful. He spent two seasons at Eastern Michigan, two at Ohio State and 10 at Bowling Green before returning to River Rouge last season as head coach.
And he has no regrets.
“At that point, I had goals,” Stone said of making the jump to college. “There were things I wanted to do. I still have goals. People ask me, would I go back to college? I don’t know. If the situation was right, I might.”
Stone, 49, returned for two reasons: family and community. Last season he was able to coach his oldest son, LaMonta, Jr., his senior year. Stone also has two other sons, ages 6 and 9.
Basketball is king in River Rouge. Greene won a record 12 MHSAA titles and the program has won two more since his departure. But the Panthers relinquished their claim as a state power soon after Stone left and haven’t been much of a factor in the tournament since. Stone intends on changing that.
“It’s a situation where, I’d been (coaching in college) for 14 years,” he said. “I’d reached all my goals. The only one I didn’t was to become a head coach. But you’re an assistant in the Big Ten. You can’t get much higher than that.
“The opportunity to come back to that community, I just couldn’t pass up. I get to be more of a part of my sons’ lives.”
In addition to the high school season, Stone said he enjoys coaching during the summer, in camps and individually.
“I can, within the (Michigan High School Athletic Association) rules, work with kids outside of Rouge,” he said. “I get calls all the time saying can you work with my son. I work with them but they can’t come to Rouge. I like it that way. There’s no pressure on me or them.”
Hall, 45, was one of the state’s top players when he graduated from Cass Tech in 1988. He played four years in college (Washington, Virginia Tech) before playing professionally overseas. In 1996 he became the head coach at Detroit Rogers, an all-boys school in the Detroit Public School League. Hall spent nine seasons there and won three MHSAA titles before the school closed.
Hall went to Detroit Northwestern in 2005 and spent three seasons there, winning one PSL title, before accepting a position as an assistant coach at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. He spent four seasons there before becoming an assistant coach at Youngstown State. On Aug. 25, Hall officially came back to Detroit as athletic director and boys basketball coach at Cass Tech.
Like Stone, Hall was looking for a more stable lifestyle. Family came first, and the opportunity to coach his alma mater was too good to pass up.
“A lot had to do with my life at this stage,” he said. “I have two young boys (ages 7 and 4) and to be more a part of their lives is important. If I wanted to spend time with them, we’d go to a game where I was recruiting a kid and that would be our time together on that given day.
“And I have a passion for this school. This whole year has been learning on the fly. At Rogers there was a lack of numbers. Here football is huge. We didn’t have a football team at Rogers. And here I have a surplus of numbers. It’s a different dynamic. Rogers was the smallest school in the PSL by enrollment. Cass is the biggest.”
Hall said he doesn’t miss the hours of travelling on the road, going into countless gymnasiums recruiting players and trying to convince them and their coaches that his university was the right one. It’s not that his responsibilities as athletic director and coach are less demanding. But being able to go home every night and see his children and sleep in his bed has its rewards.
Hall said he had more than a few conversations with Stone on returning home.
All three coaches agree that experience has its benefits. It’s not that coaching is any easier at this time. The challenges are still there and in many ways demand different approaches.
“Every stop makes you better,” Negoshian said. “Anytime you coach kids, the more you are around them, it helps.
“The game has changed. Society changed. Kids don’t want to fight through tough times. That’s why you see so many transfers. Everybody wants to be the hero. They want the focus on them. And it’s just not them. It’s the family. I’m not sure all of the parents are committed. They don’t want to go to A, B and C to get to D.”
Hall said the expectations for incoming freshmen and their parents are so different than it was when he was in high school. Then students went to a certain school, whether it was a power like Detroit Southwestern or a neighborhood school like Detroit Mumford, to be a part of an established program.
“It’s a trickle down from college,” Hall said. “It’s not, ‘I want to send my kid to a great program.’ There’s the attitude that if my son isn’t a part of it as a freshman, I’ll go somewhere else instead of being part of the process.”
Tom Markowski is a columnist and directs website coverage for the State Champs! Sports Network. He previously covered primarily high school sports for the The Detroit News from 1984-2014, focusing on the Detroit area and contributing to statewide coverage of football and basketball. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Current River Rouge boys basketball coach LaMonta Stone returned to his alma mater after serving as a college assistant including at Bowling Green. (Middle) Todd Negoshian, LaMonta Stone, Steve Hall. (Top photo courtesy of LaMonta Stone.)
Breslin Bound: 2023-24 Boys Quarterfinal Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 12, 2024
One more win.
It’s a lot at this time of year, but also all that 32 boys basketball teams need to reach our final destination this season – Breslin Center for Thursday and Friday’s MHSAA Semifinals.
We glance at all 16 of tonight’s Quarterfinals across four divisions below. Games tip off at 7 p.m. unless noted. Details on tickets, brackets and more can be found on the Boys Basketball page. To watch all 16 games online, visit the NFHS Network.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com. (Abbreviations below denote ppg - points per game, rpg - rebounds per game, apg - assists per game, spg - steals per game, and bpg - blocks per game.)
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Grand Rapids Christian 61, Benton Harbor 51 The Tigers (24-2) entered the postseason No. 1 in Division 2 MPR, and Grand Rapids Christian (24-2) was No. 3 bringing even more prestige to this Regional Final.
2. Jackson Lumen Christi 53, Laingsburg 47 The Titans (22-4) continued to establish themselves among the elite, perhaps most loudly in this Regional Final against previously-undefeated Laingsburg (25-1).
3. St. Ignace 58, Munising 42 St. Ignace (20-6) repeated as a Regional champion in ending the season for last year’s Division 4 Finals winner Munising (20-5).
4. Crystal Falls Forest Park 66, Lake Linden-Hubbell 52 The Trojans (22-4) had fallen 66-54 to LL-H (22-4) just three weeks earlier but avenged to claim a Division 4 Regional championship.
5. Flint Becher 46, Cass City 35 Beecher (10-16) continued its postseason surge by ending Cass City’s run in the Regional for the second-straight year, this time with the Red Hawks closing at 24-2.
Quarterfinals at a Glance
DIVISION 1
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (24-1) vs. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (20-6) at University of Detroit Mercy, 5:30 p.m. - WATCH
After reaching the Division 1 Semifinals last season, and returning junior guard Trey McKenney (22.6 ppg, 10.1 rpg), St. Mary’s has been many people’s Division 1 favorite all winter long. The Eaglets defeated Catholic High School League Central rival Brother Rice three times during the regular season – 66-47, 59-41 and most recently 58-55 on Feb. 17, and the Warriors would love to reverse what happened last year when they defeated OLSM twice during the regular season but fell to the Eaglets in a District Final. Sophomore forward Elijah Williams leads Rice at 15.7 ppg.
East Lansing (24-2) vs. Ann Arbor Huron (21-4) at Holt - WATCH
East Lansing was able to get through three of its league opponents and another league champion in Portage Central on the way to a third Regional title over the last four seasons. Sophomore guard Kelvin Torbert Jr. (17 ppg) and junior guard Cameron Hutson (17.1 ppg) set the pace. Huron navigated a tough Regional last week defeating Detroit Catholic Central by a point and Wayne Memorial by three, and can turn to junior point guard Macari Moore (23 ppg, 3.6 apg) at crunch time.
Muskegon (23-2) vs. Zeeland West (19-7) at Grand Haven - WATCH
Last season’s Division 1 runner-up Muskegon has won 12 straight and 18 of its last 19 games, including 52-35 and 53-44 over Zeeland West as they finished tied for first and third, respectively, in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Green. Five Big Reds average between 7-9.5 ppg, with 6-foot-6 senior center Terrance Davis (9.3 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.5 bpg) manning the middle. The Dux counter with 6-7 senior Merritt Alderink (13.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg).
River Rouge (16-10) vs. North Farmington (21-2) at University of Detroit Mercy - WATCH
River Rouge reached the season’s final week thanks in part to a 66-60 Regional Semifinal win over 2023 Division 1 champion Detroit Cass Tech. Senior forward Ke’Shawn Fisher (23.6 ppg, 51 3-pointers) keys the offense. North Farmington has been on the verge of this run the last few seasons and won its first Regional title since finishing Division 1 runner-up in 2016. Senior guard/forward Tyler Spratt leads four players averaging at least 13 points per game at 16 ppg with eight rebounds, four steals and three assists per contest as well.
DIVISION 2
Kingsford (21-4) vs. Flint Powers Catholic (21-5) at Gaylord - WATCH
Kingsford won its first Regional title since 1992 and has reached 21 wins for the second straight season. Junior guard Gavin Grondin leads at 21.4 ppg with 60 3-pointers, and three others add between 8-9 ppg. Powers is back in a Quarterfinal for the first time since 2013, continuing an impressive rise after finishing just 5-17 two seasons ago. Junior guard Javontae Ross (16.4 ppg, 5.4 apg) leads three Chargers scoring at least 12 ppg.
Warren Lincoln (21-4) vs. Goodrich (21-5) at Lake Orion - WATCH
Lincoln is seeking to take another step after upping its win total for the third-straight season and winning its first Regional championship. Junior guard Markus Blackwell leads four scoring at least 9.5 ppg at 17, and twin brother Moses Blackwell has 68 3-pointers. Goodrich has won 12 straight and all but one of those by double digits. The LePla brothers – junior center Parker and freshman guard Jenson – pace the scoring at 18.4 and 15.6 ppg, respectively.
Grand Rapids Catholic Central (20-5) vs. Grand Rapids Christian (24-2) at Hamilton - WATCH
This is a rematch for Grand Rapids Christian’s 69-50 win Dec. 18 at the Cornerstone University Holiday Classic. That was the middle of three December losses for the Cougars, but they’re 19-2 this calendar year – and senior Durral Brooks (27 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 5.0 apg) was named this season’s Mr. Basketball Award winner Monday. Senior guard Nate Johnson (12.2 ppg) and senior forward Jaylan Ouwinga (11.7) lead a balanced Eagles effort as two of five senior starters.
Chelsea (20-6) vs. Detroit University Prep (17-8) at Ypsilanti Lincoln - WATCH
Chelsea has won 16 of its last 17 games – the only loss during that time by three to River Rouge – and can rely on senior guards Jake Stephens (25.3 ppg) and Joey Cabana (21.3) when in need of a big bucket. University Prep has won 10 of its last 12, and after finishing second to Romulus Summit Academy North in the Charter School Conference Gold avenged an 85-58 loss to Summit with a 60-54 Regional Semifinal win. Junior guard Dimaunye Smith-Powe sets the pace at 14 points and six assists per game.
DIVISION 3
Grand Rapids Covenant Christian (18-8) vs. Niles Brandywine (23-3) at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix - WATCH
Covenant Christian is playing in its fourth Quarterfinal over the last eight years and first since 2021, and the Chargers are coming off their best win of the season – 46-45 over Pewamo-Westphalia (23-3) in the Regional Final. Junior center Ben Elzinga (13.2 ppg) and senior guard Carter Scholten (12.1 ppg) pace a balanced lineup. Brandywine has won 14 of its last 15 games as it pursues a second-straight trip to Breslin Center after making the Semifinals a year ago. Senior forward Jaremiah Palmer (13.8 ppg) and senior guard Byron Linley (13.4 ppg) lead four players averaging at least nine points per game.
Menominee (20-6) vs. McBain (24-2) at Gaylord, 5 p.m. - WATCH
The Maroons won their second Regional title in three seasons with wins over Iron Mountain (22-2) and Painesdale Jeffers (23-2) along the way and led in part by a handful of players who saw the floor briefly when the team finished Division 3 runner-up in 2022. Senior guard Trevor Theuerkauf (14.3 ppg) and sophomore forward Tanner Theuerkauf (15.7) are siblings and the team’s leading scorers. McBain is making its second Quarterfinal appearance in four seasons, paced by 6-9 senior center Evan Haverkamp (16.8 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 1.5 bpg) and a balanced cast around him.
Detroit Old Redford (19-7) vs. Flint Beecher (10-16) at St. Clair County Community College, 5:30 p.m. - WATCH
Old Redford gives the CSC Gold another team playing this week as it makes its first Quarterfinal appearance. The Ravens are on an 11-game winning streak and have only one senior starter – forward Justin Austin – and two on the roster total. Beecher is the reigning Division 3 champion and as much a regular this week as any team, back after winning its 15th Regional title over the last 17 years. The Bucs forfeited eight wins during the regular season, but have rallied with senior guard Damarcus Burke Jr. (13.6 ppg, 3.3 apg) playing a lead role.
Jackson Lumen Christi (22-4) vs. Riverview Gabriel Richard (22-3) at Ypsilanti Lincoln, 5:30 p.m. - WATCH
These two couldn’t be more familiar with each other at this point, as they shared the CHSL AA championship and played a second time in the Cardinal Tournament championship game, with Richard winning that matchup 54-48 to even the season series. Lumen has jumped from 14-10 a year ago and handed Laingsburg its lone loss this season in the Regional Final, 53-47. Aside from falling to the Titans in their first meeting 62-49 on Jan. 26, Gabriel Richard’s only other defeats were to Division 1 Detroit Catholic Central and Cass Tech.
DIVISION 4
Crystal Falls Forest Park (22-4) vs. St. Ignace (20-6) at Gladstone - WATCH
Forest Park is coming off its first Regional title since 2007 and also has enjoyed a quick rise after finishing 9-12 just two seasons ago. The Trojans have won 16 of their last 18 games and avenged both of those losses during the postseason. Freshman forward Vic and junior forward Kevin Giuliani, another pair of brothers playing this week, are scoring a team-leading 15.5 and 14.5 ppg, respectively. St. Ignace is playing in its second-straight Quarterfinal after ending the repeat bid for 2023 Division 4 champ Munising in the Regional Final. Senior guard Jonny Ingalls (30 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 5.3 apg, 4.0 spg, 2.5 bpg) fills the stat sheet and is one of three Saints averaging double-digit scoring.
Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (21-5) vs. St. Joseph Our Lake of the Lake Catholic (19-5) at Portage Northern - WATCH
Last season’s Division 4 runner-up Tri-unity has won 11 of its last 12 games and three of four during the playoffs by at least 29 points. Senior guard Jordan VanKlompenberg (12.8 ppg) and senior forward Wesley Kaman (10.5 ppg) are the lead scorers of another balanced attack. Our Lady has jumped from last season’s 7-15 finish to reach the Quarterfinals for the first time since 2003. Owen McLoughlin is a big reason why averaging 27.9 points and 10.2 rebounds per game with 68 3-pointers.
Maple City Glen Lake (22-4) vs. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (24-2) at Houghton Lake - WATCH
Jason Bradford took over Glen Lake’s boys program this season after 15 with the girls varsity and after ending that tenure with last year’s run to the Division 4 title. Glen Lake’s boys have continued to build on their recent success with their first Regional title since finishing Class C runner-up in 2018. Sophomore center Jacob Plamondon averages 19.3 points 6.7 rebounds per game. Sacred Heart is seeking a second Semifinals berth in four seasons and has lost only to Tri-unity in December and Division 1 Cadillac in mid-February. Center Aidan Halliday is the lone senior starter for the Irish.
Allen Park Inter-City Baptist (22-4) vs. Kingston (18-8) at St. Clair County Community College - WATCH
Inter-City Baptist has won several District championships under longtime coach Mark Kraatz, and broke through last week for its first Regional title since 2012. The Chargers have won nine straight games to reach this point, with sophomore guard Ethan Esse leading with 20.2 ppg and 74 3-pointers this winter. Kingston also is coming off its first Regional title since 2007, with eight wins over its last nine games. Senior guard Owen Corlis sets the pace at 18.6 ppg, with junior center Austin DeRoseau adding 14.1 and nine rebounds per contest.
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PHOTOS (Top) Crystal Falls Forest Park's Vic Giuliani (32) dunks the ball against Lake Linden-Hubbell during last week’s 66-52 Regional Final win. (Middle) Isaiah Hines (11) applies defensive pressure during Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 61-39 Regional Semifinal win over Milford. (Top photo by Cara Kamps; middle photo by Terry Lyons.)